Sheet piler having movable side guides

ABSTRACT

A machine for piling metal sheets which comprises an overhead conveyor for advancing sheets for deposit on a lift, or the like, at a piling area, end stop and backstop mechanisms and side edge guide mechanisms, for cooperation with the end stop and backstop mechanisms, which side guide mechanisms are arranged in pairs, adjustable laterally of the path of travel of the sheets with one pair of the side guide mechanisms in a fixed position at the entrance end of the machine and another pair thereof mounted for longitudinal adjustment with the end stop mechanism. The side guide members are reciprocated as the sheets are dropped, so as to facilitate the piling of sheets delivered off center, and each of said members is suspended on a linkage system to prevent damage in the event the lift is raised sufficiently to strike the guide member, with the assemblies being strengthened and held against undue deflection by means of a special chain arrangement.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Dario Buccicone Gary, Ind. [21] Appl.No. 863,297 [22] Filed Oct. 2, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 2, 1971 [7 3Assignee Bucciconi Engineering Co., Inc.

Gary, Ind.

[54] SHEET PILER HAVING MOVABLE SIDE GUIDES 3,395,914 8/1968 BucciconePrimary Examiner-Joseph Wegbreit Assistant Examiner-Bruce H. Stoner, Jr.Attorney-Greist, Lockwood, Greenawalt & Dewey ABSTRACT: A machine forpiling metal sheets which comprises an overhead conveyor for advancingsheets for deposit on a lift, or the like, at a piling area, end stopand backstop mechanisms and side edge guide mechanisms, for cooperationwith the end stop and backstop mechanisms, which side guide mechanismsare arranged in pairs, adjustable laterally of the path of travel of thesheets with one pair of the side guide mechanisms in a fixed position atthe entrance end of the machine and another pair thereof mounted forlongitudinal adjustment with the end stop mechanism. The side guidemembers are reciprocated as the sheets are dropped, so as to facilitatethe piling of sheets delivered off center, and each of said members issuspended on a linkage system to prevent damage in the event the lift israised sufficiently to strike the guide member, with the assembliesbeing strengthened and held against undue deflection by means of aspecial chain arrangement.

PATENTED-NBVZ Ian 7 3,617,052

SHEET 10F 4 INVENTOR DAR/O BUCCICONE 4| Ff 7. 11- WMw ATT Y5.

PATENTEUMIV 2 l97l SHEET 2 BF 4 SHEET FILER HAVING MOVABLE SIDE GUIDES Amachine for piling metal sheets which comprises an overhead conveyor foradvancing sheets for deposit on a lift, or the like, at a piling area,end stop and backstop mechanisms and side edge guide mechanisms forcooperation with the end stop and backstop mechanisms, which side guidemechanisms are arranged in pairs, adjustable laterally of the path oftravel of the sheets with one pair of the side guide mechanism in afixed position at the entrance end of the machine and another pairthereof mounted for longitudinal adjustment with the end stop mechanism.The side guide members are reciprocated as the sheets are dropped, so asto facilitate the piling of sheets delivered off center, and each ofsaid members is suspended on a linkage system to prevent damage in theevent the lift is raised sufficiently to strike the guide member, withthe assemblies being strengthened and held against undue deflection bymeans of a special chain arrangement.

This invention relates to handling apparatus for metal sheets and ismore particularly concerned with improvements in a machine for piling orstacking metal sheets, usually at the end of a sheet processing ortreating line.

Sheet pilers for handling metal sheets have been developed heretoforewhich have been used successfully for stacking metal sheets, forexample, at the end of a fabricating line in a rolling mill where thesheets are cut to a predetermined length and arranged in a stack forremoval from the line. Sheet pilers for this purpose are disclosed in myU.S. Pat. Nos. 3,256,010; 3,256,0ll and3,395,9l4. These machines arecharacterized by overhead magnetic conveyors which receive the sheetsfrom the line, frequently at a relatively high rate of travel, and dropthe same in the piling area, where they come to rest in stacked relationon a pallet or other support so that the stack may be readily removedfrom the line. Such machines are provided with an end stop at theforward end thereof for arresting the forward travel of the sheets and abackstop at the entrance end, together with side edge guide memberswhich cooperate in guiding the sheets into superimposed relation in astack. The guides employed in these machines for aligning the edges ofthe sheets generally include some means for adjustment so as to adaptthe machines to the piling of sheets of different size. Because of thevarying conditions under which the machines may be required to operateand the widely different dimensional and weight characteristics of thesheets which it may be desired to handle, special problems arise whichrequire different treatment in designing a piler for use in a particularlocation so as to insure that it will stack the sheet material it isdesigned to handle in a satisfactory manner. It is the general object,therefore, of the present invention to provide a sheet piler havingimproved mechanism for guiding the sheets and aligning the side edgesthereof as they are dropped by the conveyor mechanism in the pilingarea.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a piler forstacking metal sheets which incorporates improved side guide mechanismadapted to operate in an efficient manner for aligning the side edge ofthe sheets in the pile, which are especially designed for handlingrelatively thick sheets of substantial weight, which are of relativelysimple design, and

which can be fabricated in an economical manner.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a piler, side guidemechanisms which are arranged to oscillate in stacking the sheets andwhich have a sufficiently long oscillation stroke so that sheets can bereceived off center line and still be put into a neat stack.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a piler having sideguides which are adjustable laterally of the path of advance of thesheets with one pair of the guides being mounted for movement with anadjustably mounted end stop mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a sheet piler, sideguides for aligning the edges of the sheets as they are dropped on thepile, which side guides are adapted to be adjustably positioned toaccommodate sheets of different widths and which are suspended on aspecially designed linkage so that accidental raising of the hoistsufficient to bring the top of the pile into engagement with the bottomof the side guides will merely lift the guides above their normalposition without damage to the same. A still further object of theinvention is to provide a piler with adjustably mounted side guides, onepair of which is mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the machinewith the end stop carriage and with a drive arrangement operable formoving all the guide members simultaneously for the desired lateraladjustment.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom a consideration of the sheet-piling machine which is shown by wayof illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a plan view, largely schematic and with portions broken away,of a sheet piler which incorporates therein the principal features ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, largely schematic, and with portions brokenaway, of the piler shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, to a largerscale; v

FIG. 4 is a partial cross section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, to alarger scale;

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevation taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 2 to alarger scale;

FIG. 7 is a partial side elevational view taken on the line 7- 7 of FIG.6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 4 to a largerscale;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view'taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 1 to alarger scale; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary plan view taken on the line 11-11 of FIG. 10.

The piler machine 10 which is illustrated in the drawings (FIGS. 1 and2) and which incorporates therein the principal features of theinvention, is adapted to receive individual metal sheets from aprocessing line, or the like, and to deposit the sheets, one by one, ona stack or pile 11, on a lift structure 12 for removal in a directiongenerally laterally of the machine.

The illustrated machine 10 comprises an upright supporting framestructure 13 which includes longitudinally spaced end frames 14 and 15and a connecting top beam structure 16 extending longitudinally of themachine. The end frames 14 and 15 support opposite ends of an overheadmagnetic conveyor assembly 17 which in the form shown comprises twoidentical conveyor rail units 18.

The conveyor rail units 18 are transversely spaced and supported, at thereceiving or entry end of the machine, on a crossbeam 20 (FIGS. 2 and 3)which is carried by hanger members 21 depending from a fixed crossbeam22, the latter extending between upstanding side portions of the endframe 14. The conveyor rail units 18 are supported at the other end ofthe machine on a crossbeam 23 (FIG. 2) carried by hanger members similarto members 21 which depend from the fixed top crossbeam 24, the latterextending between upstanding portions of the end frame structure 15.Each of the rail units 18 comprises an elongate frame 25 which houses aseries of longitudinally spaced magnets (not shown), either fixed orelectromagnetic, and a traveling belt 26 which is supported at oppositeends of the frame 25 on pulleys 27, 28 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Pulleys 27 atthe entrance end of the machine are mounted on an idler shaft 30 whilepulleys 28 at the opposite end of the frame are mounted on a drive shaft31 which is connected in driven relation with a speed change mechanismand drive motor 32 so as to drive the belt 26, with the lower run of thebelt 26 adapted to carry the sheets which are held thereon by magneticattraction.

The sheets are delivered to the entrance end of the machine on an entryconveyor 33 which is driven by motor 33' and suitable means are providedfor controlling the operation of the magnetic conveyor 18 which mayinclude a sheet-sensing device, indicated at 34, and suitable controlmeans for actuating and deactivating the magnets so as to advance thesheets to 3) for dropping onto the pile 11 by gravity when they arereleased by the conveyor 18 and their forward motion arrested the endstop mechanism.

The machine is provided with a back stop (FIGS. 2 and 3) at the entranceend, and end stop mechanism 36, which is adjustable longitudinally ofthe machine, and side guide assemblies 37 and 38 which cooperate inguiding the edges of the sheets as they are dropped by the conveyor 17.The one side guide assembly 37 (FIGS. 2 and 3 is disposed at the entryend of the machine is on the outennost parallel top beams 40 and 40'which extend between the end frames 14 and 15. The other side guideassembly 38 (FIGS. 2 and 7) is mounted for adjustment longitudinally ofthe machine on the outside top beams 40 and 40' and is moved with therectangular carriage frame 41 which carries the end stop mechanism 36,the latter being supported in depending relation thereon.

The end stop carriage 41 movably mounted for adjustment longitudinallyof the machine on the longitudinally extending laterally spaced top beammembers 42 and 42'. The beam members 42 and 42' each carry an endlesschain 43 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and these chains are connected to the frame 41and driven by end stop motor 44 at the discharge or exit end of themachine through a chain drive connection indicated at 45. The carriage41 is adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the machine to positionthe end stop mechanism 36 at the desired position relative to thebackstop 35 at the entrance end of the machine so that the two arespaced a proper distance to accommodate the length of the sheet it isdesired to pile.

The side guide assemblies 37 and 38 are of similar construction and aremounted so that the sheet-edge-engaging members are arranged in pairswith the members of each pair thereof disposed on opposite sides of themachine. All of the side guide members are adjustable laterally of thepath of the sheets by operation of a single drive motor which adjuststhe support beams 40 and 40' so as to position the sheet-edge-engagingmembers for accommodating sheets of different widths.

The laterally spaced longitudinally disposed top beams 40 and 40 whichextend between the two frames 14 and 15 and which are mounted foradjustment laterally of the machine, are identical except for beingrights and lefts and they are mounted at their opposite ends on theframes 14 and 15 in an identical manner. The details of the supportingand adjusting structure at one end only of the machine will bedescribed, it being understood that a corresponding mechanism isarranged at the other end of the machine on the end frame 15 with aconnecting means for simultaneous adjustment, which will be hereinafterdescribed.

At the entrance end of the machine, the outside beam 40 (FIGS. 3, 4 and5) has a bottom support or bracket assembly 50. The support bracketassembly includes an elongate slide 51 having the form in cross sectionof an inverted channel which opens downwardly and has a liner 52. Theslide 51 is spaced by shims 53 beneath the bottom flange at the end ofthe side beam 40. The slide 51 rides on a track forming elongate block54 with a keeper 55 and slot 56 arrangement for holding alignment duringhorizontal movement. Adjustment laterally of the machine is obtainedthrough operation of a screw member 57 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 5) mounted in ahousing 58 on which there is a traveling nut 60 connected through a slot61 in the top of housing 58 with the bottom flange of the beam 40.Rotation of the screw 57 moves the beam 40 laterally of the machine. Thescrew 57 is connected with a corresponding screw member 57 on the otherside of the machine through a connecting bar 62 and the entire screwassembly is journaled in a suitable manner in the housings 58 and 58'.The screws 57 and 57' are right and left-hand threaded and the one screw57' carries at its outermost end a sprocket 63 which is connected by achain 64 with the sprocket 65 on a drive motor 66. The adjusting screwassembly 57, 57', 62 carries a sprocket 67 (FIG. 3) which is connectedby a chain 68 with a sprocket 69 on a shaft 70 which is journaled in afixed beam 71' extending between the end frames 14 and 15. The shaft 70carries a sprocket 72 which is connected by a chain 73 (FIGS. 1 and 2)extending to a sprocket 74 at the other end of the machine which iscarried on a shaft 75 journaled in the end of the beam 71. The shaft 75carries a sprocket 76 which is connected by a chain 77 with a drivesprocket 78 on an adjusting screw assembly which corresponds to thescrew assembly 57, 62, 57 at the entrance end of the machine so that thebeams 40 and 40' are moved laterally in parallel relation for adjustmentof the side guide assemblies 37 and 38.

The fixed side guide assembly 37 comprises right and lefthand unitassemblies 82 and 82 (FIG. 3) of identical construction. Theseassemblies 82 and 82 are mounted in depending relation on bracketforming frame members 83 and 83 which are attached to the support beams40 and 40' respectively. The side guide unit assembly 82 comprises asheet-edge-engaging plate 85 (FIGS. 3,4, 5 8 and 9) with an angled topedge portion 86 and with vertically spaced bearing ears 87 in which apivot pin 88 is mounted. The pin 88 extends through a pair of verticallyspaced cars 90 carried on the end of slide bar 91 which is mounted insliding relation in a guideway 92 at the inner end of an elongateboxlike frame 93 with the outer end of the slide bar 91 connected by apivot 94 to the end of a piston 95 of a fluid cylinder 96. Tile cylinder96 is pivotally connected at its outer end at 97 to a bracket 98 fixedin the frame 93. The bracket 98 extends in a fixed relation between theside plates of the boxlike elongate frame 93. The elongate frame 93 ismounted on the bottom ends of a pair of parallel links 100, 101 whichare connected thereto by pivots 102 and 103. At their upper ends, theone link is connected by pivot 104 to a bracket member 105 and the otherlink 101 is connected by pivot 106 to the inner end of a horizontallydisposed link 107 which, in turn, is connected by pivot 108 to thebracket 105 with the pivots 104, 106 and 108, in the position shown inFIG. 4, being in a common horizontal plane. The bracket 105 has anangular stop plate 110 on an inner extension which is adapted to engagewith the links 101 and 107 immediately adjacent the pivot 106, thearrangement holding the links 100 and 101 normally in verticallydisposed parallel relation so that the arm 93 is held in a horizontalposition and the plate 85 presents its inner face in a vertical planefor engagement with the edges of the sheets as they are dropped on thepile. The bracket 105 has an upper extension which is connected by apivot 111 with the generally rectangular frame bracket 112, the pivot111 being vertically aligned above the pivot 106 in the position shown.A pin 113 is connected at its lower end on a pivot 114 extending betweendepending bearing-forming ears 115 on the lower edges of the sideplatesforming the bracket 112 and extends upwardly into the bracket 112. Acompression spring 116 is mounted on the upper end of pin 113 with itslower end bearing on a sleeve member 117 which extends upwardly of across plate 118, the latter extending between the sideplates of thebracket 105. The spring 116 normally holds the bracket 105 in theposition shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 while resiliently resisting pivotalmovement of the bracket 105 about the pivot 111. The bracket frame 112is connected at its top face to the lower face of a top bracketformation 120. The latter comprises a C- shaped frame connected at itstop and bottom legs with frame assemblies 121 and 122 which are boltedor otherwise secured to the bottom and top flanges respectively of thebeam 40. The C-shape of the bracket frame accommodates a reinforcingI-beam which extends outwardly of the web of the I- beam 40. The bracketportions 120 and 122 are bolted or otherwise secured to one of the pairof crossbeams or bar members 124 and 125 which are carried in juxtaposedsliding relation in an upwardly opening U-shaped guideway 126 formed inthe upper part of the topmost bracket member 122. Antifriction rollers127 and 128 are mounted on the bracket member 122 so as to be engaged bythe crossbar 125, which is adapted to be moved relative to the bracket120, and the associated crossbar 124. The crossbar 125 is attached tothe unit assembly 82' at the other side of the machine which is of thesame construction as the unit assembly 82 and which is connected to theother movable longitudinal beam 40'. The crossbars 124 and 125 hold thetwo units 82 and 82' in alignment and brace the same in any adjustedposition.

To further strengthen the guide assembly 37, a pair of chains 130 and131 are utilized to absorb some of the stress when the guides areadvanced and push in on the sheets. One chain 130 is connected at oneend to the crossbar 125 (FIG. 4) and the other end of the chain isconnected to the guide unit assembly 82' at the other side of themachine (FIG. 3). The chain 130 is carried on sprockets 132 and 133which are mounted on cross-shafts 134 and 135 extending between the topportions of the sideplates forming bracket 120 andmounting ears 136 onthe bracket 112, respectively, and extends through the bracket 112 andacross the path of the sheets to bracket 112' of the side guide assembly82' at the other side of the machine where the end of the chain isanchored to a bar 137' extending through the bracket 112' and securedthereto at both its ends. The chain 131 is secured at one end to thecrossbar 125 and is carried on sprockets 132' and 133' on the brackets120' and 112' and extends across to the other side of the machine whereit is attached to the bracket 112 in the same manner as chain 130.

The movable side guide assembly 38 (FIGS. 6 and 7) is constructed thesame as the fixed side guide assembly 37 except for the upper bracketstructure 140 which corresponds to the upper bracket structure 120 ofthe fixed side guide assembly. The bracket structure 140 is the sameoverall depth as the bracket structure 120 and is provided with top andbottom pairs of spaced antifriction rollers 141 and 142 for engaging thetop and bottom flanges of the supporting l-beam 40. The frame 140 alsois provided with rollers 143 for engaging opposite side edges of the topand bottom flanges of l-beam 40, with all of these rollers beingsuitably journaled in the bracket 140 so that the bracket-fonning framestructure 140 function as a carriage which is movable on the beam 40.The bracket 140 is connected to the one crossbar 124 while acorresponding bracket at the other side of the assembly 38 is connectedto the associated crossbar 125 so that the guide units at each side ofthe machine are adjustable laterally of the machine. The carriage frame41 of the end stop assembly 36 is connected to the side guide assembly38 so that the two assemblies are adjusted longitudinally of the machineupon adjustment of the frame 41. A pair of tubular members 145, 145'having a rectangular cross section sufficient to surround the crossbars124 and 125 are secured on the carriage frame 41 by connecting brackets146 and 146" so that upon movement of the carriage frame 41, the guideassembly 38 is pushed or pulled along with the same. A bumper pad 147 ofrubber or the like, is provided along the side of the bracket 145 whichengages the crossbar 125 when the assembly is pulled toward the exit endof the machine.

lclaim:

l. A piling machine for sheet material comprising a rail-type overheadconveyor mounted at opposite ends on spaced, upright end frames andhaving traveling belts for advancing on the bottom face thereofsuccessive sheets which are delivered to an entrance end of the conveyorad advanced by the conveyor for release in a piling area between saidend frames, an end stop device for arresting the forward travel of thesheets when they are released by the conveyor for deposit by gravity inthe piling area and a sheet side edge guide mechanism, said side edgeguide mechanism including parallel support beams extendinglongitudinally of the conveyor and mounted for adjustment laterally ofthe conveyor, a side edge guide assembly mounted on said longitudinallyextending support beams for adjustment longitudinally of said beams,said side edge guide assembly including a pair of transversely extendingbar members which are slidably connected to each other and carried onsaid longitudinally extending support beams, a pair of carriages securedeach to one of said transversely extending bar members and positioned onopposite sides of the path of advance of the sheets, each of saidcarriages having a bracket frame depending therefrom and a pair ofparallel link bars, means pivotally connecting said parallel link barsin depending relation adjacent the lower end of said bracket frame, anelongate arm-forming member pivotally mounted on the lower ends of saidparallel link bars and extending transversely of the machine in agenerally horizontal plane, said means for connecting the parallel linkbars and the depending bracket frame including a resilient means forcushioning movement of the parallel link bars in a direction verticallyof the machine, a guide plate having a vertical face for engaging theedges of the sheets as they are deposited in the piling area which guideplate is slidably mounted on the inner end of the arm member forreciprocating movement in a direction laterally of the path of travel ofthe sheets, and means for reciprocating said guide plate in timedrelation to the release of the sheets in the piling area.

2. A piler machine as recited in claim 1, and means for adjusting theparallel support beams simultaneously which comprises transverselyextending screw members mounted on said end frames with right andleft-hand threaded sections each having a traveling nut which isconnected to a side edge guide assembly, power means for turning one ofthe screws and a chain drive connecting the screws at opposite ends ofthe machine so that said screws are operated simultaneously to adjustthe support beams while they are held in parallel relation.

3. A piler mechanism as recited in claim 1, and the depending bracketframe having a pivotally mounted portion at the lower end thereof towhich the parallel link bars are pivotally connected, an elongate hangerbar spaced from the pivot mounting of said bracket frame portion whichis upstanding in the bracket frame, a compression spring fixed at oneend to the top of said hanger bar and hearing at its lower end on across member in the bracket frame so as to form a vertically yieldablesupport for the parallel link bars.

4. A piler machine as recited in claim 3, wherein stop means is providedon said pivotally mounted bracket portion for holding the parallel linkbars in a nonnal generally vertical position while permitting swingingmovement of said parallel link bars and said bracket portion in adirection upwardly and outwardly of the machine.

5. A machine for handling sheet material comprising an elongate,overhead conveyor for advancing selected sheets to a piling area wherethe sheets are deposited by gravity on a pile upon release by theconveyor, upright end frames supporting opposite ends of said conveyor,a backstop adjacent the entrance end of the machine, an end stopmechanism having a carriage forming support frame mounted for movementlongitudinally of the machine, power means having a chain driveconnection with said end stop carriage, track-forming support beamsextending in parallel relation longitudinally of the machine, mechanismsfor guiding the side edges of the sheets into the pile mounted independing relation on said support beams, each of said side edge guidemechanisms comprising a pair of depending frames spaced on oppositesides of the path of advance of the sheets and having sheet-edge-guidingplates carried thereon, one of said side edge guide mechanism having thedepending frames in the form of carriages which are movably mounted foradjustment longitudinally of the machine on said track-forming beams,and means connecting said carriage-forming frames to said end stopcarriage frame so that the same is adjusted with and positioned adjacentthe end stop mechanism.

6. A machine for handling sheet material as set forth in claim 5, andthe means connecting said carriages for the side guide mechanisms to thesupporting frame for said end stop mechanism comprising bracket membersextending from said end-stop-supporting frame and encircling a portionof said movable slide guide mechanism.

7. A machine for handling sheet material as set forth in claim 5, andsaid carriage support frame for said end stop mechanism having thetubelike connector frames positioned ternal dimension in the directionlongitudinally of the machine which is greater than the correspondingcombined dimension of said crossbeams so as to permit movement of saidcrossbeams laterally of the machine.

9. A machine for handling sheet material as set forth in claim 8 andsaid tube like connector frames having cushioning bumper pads forengaging said crossbeams when the end stop carriage is moved toward thedischarge end of the machine.

10. In a machine for handling sheet material having an elongate,overhead conveyor for advancing selected sheets to a piling area wherethe sheets are released and deposited by gravity on a pile, an uprightsupport frame for said conveyor, a backstop adjacent the entrance end ofthe machine, and an end stop mechanism, a side edge guide mechanismcomprising a pair of transversely extending parallel support barsmounted on said frame for adjustment transversely of the machine, abracket-forming frame mounted in depending relation on each of saidsupport bars and disposed on opposite sides of the path of advance ofthe sheets, a pair of parallel links depending from each of saidbracket-forming frames, horizontally disposed arm mounted on each pairof said links, side edge guide plates disposed for engagement with theside edges of the sheets as they are dropped on the pile, each of saidside edge guide plates being mounted for reciprocating movement so as toengage and force the sheets into centered position on the pile, andchain members extending transversely of the machine and connecting thebracket-forming frames so as to resist the tendency of said frames tospread apart when the guide plates press against the edges of thesheets.

11. In a machine for handling sheet material as set forth in claim 10and each of said chain members having one of its ends attached to theouter end of one of said support bars and having its other end connectedto the depending bracket forming frame which is mounted on the other oneof said pair of support bars.

12. In a machine for handling sheet material as set forth in claim 11and each of said chain members passing through thedepending-bracket-fonning frame which is carried on the support bar towhich the one end of said chain is attached, with supporting sprocketson said depending bracket frame on which said chain is carried.

13. A piler machine as set forth in claim 1 and said means forreciprocating said guide plate comprising a fluid motor.

14. A piler machine as set forth in claim 3 and said means forreciprocating said guide plate comprising a fluid motor mounted on saidtransversely extending arm member and said pivotally mounted portion ofsaid bracket frame being arranged so that it may yield and swingoutwardly and upwardly when the guide plate is pressed against the edgeof a sheet by operation of said motor.

15. A piling machine for sheet material comprising a railtype overheadconveyor mounted at opposite ends on spaced, upright end frames andhaving traveling belts on the bottom face thereof for advancingsuccessive sheets, which are delivered to the entrance end of theconveyor, to a piling area between said end frames where the sheets arereleased for gravity piling, an end stop device for arresting theforward travel of the sheets when they are released by the conveyor anda sheet side edge guide mechanism, said side edge guide mechanismincluding parallel support beams extending longitudinally of theconveyor and mounted for adjustment laterally of the conveyor, a sideedge guide assembly mounted on said support beams for adjustmentlongitudinally of said beams, said side edge guide assembly including apair of transversely extending bar extending which are slidablyconnected to each other, a pair of bracket frames secured each to one ofsaid transversely extending bar members and positioned on oppositeslides of the path of advance of the sheets, each of said bracket frameshaving a pivoted portion depending therefrom and a pair of parallel linkbars pivotally mounted in depending relation adjacent the lower edge ofsaid pivoted frame portion, an elongate arm-forming member pivotallymounted on the lower ends of said parallel link bars and extendingtransversely of the machine in a generally horizontal plane, meanscushioning movement of the parallel link bars in a direction verticallyand outwardly of the path of the sheets, a guide plate having a verticalface for engaging the edges of the sheets as they are deposited in thepiling area, which guide plate is slidably mounted on the inner end ofthe arm member for reciprocating movement in a direction laterally ofthe path of travel of the sheets, means for reciprocating said guideplate in timed relation to the release of the sheets in the piling area,and means to connect said bracket frames which is operative to resistoutward pressure on said bracket frames which results when the guideplates are pressed into engagement with the edges of the sheets.

l i I! t UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PatentNo. 3,617,052 Dated November 2, 1971 Inventor(s) Dario 118 It iscertified that error'appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 2, after the second occurrence of "to" insert a positionline 3, delete line 5, before 'the" insert by line 12, delete "is" andinsert and is supported in a fixed position longitudinally of themachine line 19, after "#1" insert is line 41, after "two" insert endColumn 4, line 19, insert a. comma between "5" and "8" line 26, "THe"should be The line 66, "125" should be 123 Column 5, line 21, "12 shouldbe 12h line 61, "ed should be and Column 6, line 56, "into" should beonto line 72, "slide" should be side line 75, delete "the" Column 7,line 27, after the comma, insert a.

line 29, after "plates" insert mounted on the inner ends of said armswhich are Column 8, line 25, the second occurrence of "extending" shouldbe members line 28, "slides" should be sides Si necl and sealed this30th day of May 197 IZJDtL-WZRD I-I.FLEICEER JR ROBERT GOTTSCHALKAttestlng Officer Commissioner of Patents )RM PO-OSO (10-69] USCOMM-DC50375-P69

1. A piling machine for sheet material comprising a rail-type overheadconveyor mounted at opposite ends on spaced, upright end frames andhaving traveling belts for advancing on the bottom face thereofsuccessive sheets which are delivered to an entrance end of the conveyorad advanced by the conveyor for release in a piling area between saidend frames, an end stop device for arresting the forward travel of thesheets when they are released by the conveyor for deposit by gravity inthe piling area and a sheet side edge guide mechanism, said side edgeguide mechanism including parallel support beams extendinglongitudinally of the conveyor and mounted for adjustment laterally ofthe conveyor, a side edge guide assembly mounted on said longitudinallyextending support beams for adjustment longitudinally of said beams,said side edge guide assembly including a pair of transversely extendingbar members which are slidably connected to each other and carried onsaid longitudinally extending support beams, a pair of carriages securedeach to one of said transversely extending bar members and positioned onopposite sides of the path of advance of the sheets, each of saidcarriages having a bracket frame depending therefrom and a pair ofparallel link bars, means pivotally connecting said parallel link barsin depending relation adjacent the lower end of said bracket frame, anelongate arm-forming member pivotally mounted on the lower ends of saidparallel link bars and extending transversely of the machine in agenerally horizontal plane, said means for connecting the parallel linkbars and the depending bracket frame including a resilient means forcushioning movement of the parallel link bars in a direction verticallyof the machine, a guide plate having a vertical face for engaging theedges of the sheets as they are deposited in the piling area which guideplate is slidably mounted on the inner end of the arm member forreciprocating movement in a direction laterally of the path of travel ofthe sheets, and means for reciprocating said guide plate in timedrelation to the release of the sheets in the piling area.
 2. A pilermachine as recited in claim 1, and means for adjusting the parallelsupport beams simultaneously which comprises transversely extendingscrew members mounted on said end frames with right and left-handthreaded sectIons each having a traveling nut which is connected to aside edge guide assembly, power means for turning one of the screws anda chain drive connecting the screws at opposite ends of the machine sothat said screws are operated simultaneously to adjust the support beamswhile they are held in parallel relation.
 3. A piler mechanism asrecited in claim 1, and the depending bracket frame having a pivotallymounted portion at the lower end thereof to which the parallel link barsare pivotally connected, an elongate hanger bar spaced from the pivotmounting of said bracket frame portion which is upstanding in thebracket frame, a compression spring fixed at one end to the top of saidhanger bar and bearing at its lower end on a cross member in the bracketframe so as to form a vertically yieldable support for the parallel linkbars.
 4. A piler machine as recited in claim 3, wherein stop means isprovided on said pivotally mounted bracket portion for holding theparallel link bars in a normal generally vertical position whilepermitting swinging movement of said parallel link bars and said bracketportion in a direction upwardly and outwardly of the machine.
 5. Amachine for handling sheet material comprising an elongate, overheadconveyor for advancing selected sheets to a piling area where the sheetsare deposited by gravity on a pile upon release by the conveyor, uprightend frames supporting opposite ends of said conveyor, a backstopadjacent the entrance end of the machine, an end stop mechanism having acarriage forming support frame mounted for movement longitudinally ofthe machine, power means having a chain drive connection with said endstop carriage, track-forming support beams extending in parallelrelation longitudinally of the machine, mechanisms for guiding the sideedges of the sheets into the pile mounted in depending relation on saidsupport beams, each of said side edge guide mechanisms comprising a pairof depending frames spaced on opposite sides of the path of advance ofthe sheets and having sheet-edge-guiding plates carried thereon, one ofsaid side edge guide mechanism having the depending frames in the formof carriages which are movably mounted for adjustment longitudinally ofthe machine on said track-forming beams, and means connecting saidcarriage-forming frames to said end stop carriage frame so that the sameis adjusted with and positioned adjacent the end stop mechanism.
 6. Amachine for handling sheet material as set forth in claim 5, and themeans connecting said carriages for the side guide mechanisms to thesupporting frame for said end stop mechanism comprising bracket membersextending from said end-stop-supporting frame and encircling a portionof said movable slide guide mechanism.
 7. A machine for handling sheetmaterial as set forth in claim 5, and said carriage support frame forsaid end stop mechanism having the tubelike connector frames positionedto receive crossbeams connecting the carriages of said one side edgeguide mechanism so as to simultaneously adjust the position of thecarriages for said one side edge guide mechanism longitudinally of themachine simultaneously with the adjustment of the position of the endstop mechanism.
 8. A machine for handling sheet material as set forth inclaim 7 and said tubelike connector frames each having an internaldimension in the direction longitudinally of the machine which isgreater than the corresponding combined dimension of said crossbeams soas to permit movement of said crossbeams laterally of the machine.
 9. Amachine for handling sheet material as set forth in claim 8 and saidtube like connector frames having cushioning bumper pads for engagingsaid crossbeams when the end stop carriage is moved toward the dischargeend of the machine.
 10. In a machine for handling sheet material havingan elongate, overhead conveyor for advancing selected sheets to a pilingarea where the sheets are released and deposited by gravity on a pile,an upright support frame for said conveyor, a backstop adjacent theentrance end of the machine, and an end stop mechanism, a side edgeguide mechanism comprising a pair of transversely extending parallelsupport bars mounted on said frame for adjustment transversely of themachine, a bracket-forming frame mounted in depending relation on eachof said support bars and disposed on opposite sides of the path ofadvance of the sheets, a pair of parallel links depending from each ofsaid bracket-forming frames, horizontally disposed arm mounted on eachpair of said links, side edge guide plates disposed for engagement withthe side edges of the sheets as they are dropped on the pile, each ofsaid side edge guide plates being mounted for reciprocating movement soas to engage and force the sheets into centered position on the pile,and chain members extending transversely of the machine and connectingthe bracket-forming frames so as to resist the tendency of said framesto spread apart when the guide plates press against the edges of thesheets.
 11. In a machine for handling sheet material as set forth inclaim 10 and each of said chain members having one of its ends attachedto the outer end of one of said support bars and having its other endconnected to the depending bracket forming frame which is mounted on theother one of said pair of support bars.
 12. In a machine for handlingsheet material as set forth in claim 11 and each of said chain memberspassing through the depending-bracket-forming frame which is carried onthe support bar to which the one end of said chain is attached, withsupporting sprockets on said depending bracket frame on which said chainis carried.
 13. A piler machine as set forth in claim 1 and said meansfor reciprocating said guide plate comprising a fluid motor.
 14. A pilermachine as set forth in claim 3 and said means for reciprocating saidguide plate comprising a fluid motor mounted on said transverselyextending arm member and said pivotally mounted portion of said bracketframe being arranged so that it may yield and swing outwardly andupwardly when the guide plate is pressed against the edge of a sheet byoperation of said motor.
 15. A piling machine for sheet materialcomprising a rail-type overhead conveyor mounted at opposite ends onspaced, upright end frames and having traveling belts on the bottom facethereof for advancing successive sheets, which are delivered to theentrance end of the conveyor, to a piling area between said end frameswhere the sheets are released for gravity piling, an end stop device forarresting the forward travel of the sheets when they are released by theconveyor and a sheet side edge guide mechanism, said side edge guidemechanism including parallel support beams extending longitudinally ofthe conveyor and mounted for adjustment laterally of the conveyor, aside edge guide assembly mounted on said support beams for adjustmentlongitudinally of said beams, said side edge guide assembly including apair of transversely extending bar extending which are slidablyconnected to each other, a pair of bracket frames secured each to one ofsaid transversely extending bar members and positioned on oppositeslides of the path of advance of the sheets, each of said bracket frameshaving a pivoted portion depending therefrom and a pair of parallel linkbars pivotally mounted in depending relation adjacent the lower edge ofsaid pivoted frame portion, an elongate arm-forming member pivotallymounted on the lower ends of said parallel link bars and extendingtransversely of the machine in a generally horizontal plane, meanscushioning movement of the parallel link bars in a direction verticallyand outwardly of the path of the sheets, a guide plate having a verticalface for engaging the edges of the sheets as they are deposited in thepiling area, which guide plate is slidably mounted on the inner end ofthe arm member for reciprocating movement in a direction laterally ofthe path of travel of the sheets, means for reciProcating said guideplate in timed relation to the release of the sheets in the piling area,and means to connect said bracket frames which is operative to resistoutward pressure on said bracket frames which results when the guideplates are pressed into engagement with the edges of the sheets.